ITUD20130026A1 - INTEGRATED BIOLOGICAL PURIFICATION SYSTEM FOR LIQUIDS BASED ON THE COMBINATION OF BACTERIAL AND VEGETABLE BIOMASS INCLUDING THE STAGE OF THICKENING AND SLUDGE STABILIZATION. - Google Patents

Description

Description of the Industrial Invention Patent entitled:

"Integrated biological purification system for liquids based on the combination of bacterial and vegetable biomass including the sludge thickening and stabilization stage"

Application sector

Integrated biological purification system for liquids based on the combination of bacterial and vegetable biomass including the sludge thickening and stabilization stage, the main characteristic of which is that it does not require electrical or other energy in certain operating conditions to function as the liquid to be purified is made to flow by gravity inside elements whose surface is characterized by a plurality of protrusions or bosses of various geometric shapes to ensure the mixing and continuous oxygenation of the liquid, as well as the taking root of filamentous bacterial biomass and vegetable, such as algae and 10 plants. This surface is reproduced on prefabricated elements in reinforced concrete which are used as structures to upgrade existing purifiers or in the construction of new purifiers.

<The state of the art>

In the current state of the art, various processes and related biological purification plants for polluted liquids of civil, industrial and agricultural origin are known.

The known and current plant engineering solutions often do not allow to purify the waste water to the point of making it without negative impact on the watercourses that receive it.

In fact, the wastewater discharged from existing purifiers still has some pollutants, in small percentages, which are simply discharged into the watercourses near the plants themselves. This involves the emission of liquids with still the presence of pollutants, albeit in a small percentage, which could be further treated at low cost and without the use of energy (for example the electricity necessary to operate hydraulic pumps, compressors, turbines and the like). In order to further reduce the residual biodegradable and mineral pollutant load in the waters discharged from said plants, the present invention comes to the rescue.

Purpose of the invention

It is proposed to create a particular surface for the flow of the liquid to be purified, having the following characteristics:

- said surface has a plurality of protrusions, having any geometric shape and size, suitable for mixing and oxygenating liquid to be purified along its entire path;

- the ashlar surface is reproduced on prefabricated elements in reinforced concrete, modular, which can be positioned in sequence on the ground with adjustable inclination in order to optimize the contact time of the liquid to be purified with the bacterial biomass attached to the protuberances arranged according to particular patterns on the entire surface sliding;

<-> the tortuous path inside the prefabricated elements can also be obtained by positioning pebbles according to a pattern that reproduces the seabed of natural watercourses;

- said prefabricated elements can come in various forms, or simply in modular channels with two or three side containment walls;

- said prefabricated elements can be connected together in series and 10 in parallel in order to increase the contact time of the liquids to be purified with the bacterial and vegetable biomass to the point of obtaining the required degree of purification;

- the liquids discharged from existing purification plants, finding the sliding surface and in particular the protuberances, on which a filamentous biomass spontaneously develops which feeds on the biodegradable pollutants contained in the liquids themselves. The swirling motion of the polluted liquid through the protuberances ensures the mixing and the aeration or the oxygenation required for the development of bacterial biomass and for the carrying out of the biological oxidation process;

- said prefabricated elements, to be inserted before or at the end of the discharge of the existing purification plants, are particularly suitable for the upgrading of Irrihoff type purifiers located in locations without electricity, as they work simply by gravity and therefore a difference in level between the entrance of the liquids to be purified and the watercourse that receives them.

Essence of the invention

The objects of the invention are achieved according to the characteristics of the main claim and 10 of any other claim reported in this patent text.

The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a particular integrated system for bacterial and vegetable biological purification including a compartment for thickening and stabilizing the sludge, preferably in prefabricated cement, of the modular type, in order to allow the construction of an obligatory path to liquids to be purified which can be of civil, industrial and zootechnical origin. It is an integrated liquid purification system that can be used in combination with existing purifiers as a pre-treatment and / or refinement of the purification process, or as an autonomous biological purification unit.

It is well known that biological purification processes are based on two types of processes:

a) activated sludge, characterized by the fact that the microbes that carry out the purification process are kept suspended in the adequately aerated liquids to be purified;

.b) adherent biomass, characterized by the fact that the microbes that carry out the purification process I develop by clinging to solid surfaces kept in motion in the liquid to be purified (eg biodiscs). This type of purification processes also includes percolating filters in which the liquids to be purified are percolated through a mass of porous solids.

Both said processes generate a liquid sludge composed of spent biomass, while the present invention generates a thickened sludge that is easily evacuated.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the flowing surface of the liquid coming from the discharge of existing biological purification inipiarites is made on prefabricated elements of reinforced concrete, where protuberances having any geometric shape and size are formed on a flat base, in relation to the characteristics of the liquid to be purified.

For example, these protuberances can be in the shape of a truncated cone, truncated pyramid with a square base or a hexagonal base, or in the shape of a pyramid with a triangular base. The protruding elements are arranged on the base surface with transverse lines in a staggered manner: this is to subject the liquid to be purified to continuous mixing and aeration and at the same time simplify their prefabrication in series and installation.

The invention, as already mentioned above, is based on prefabricated elements that are positioned at the end or at the head of existing purifiers in a modular way, forming a more or less long obligatory path, the length of which is determined in relation to the polluting load to be removed. .

The same applies to the extent of their inclination with respect to the ground, which is adjustable so as to give the liquid to be purified the optimum flow rate.

In fact, the main characteristics of these prefabricated elements, ie the type of protuberances, their number and their size, associated with the inclination of positioning on the ground, determine a different flow speed of the liquids to be treated. Usually the first prefabricated element or the first series of elements downstream of the known purification plants is positioned with a greater inclination than the following elements: for the first ones for example 5%, for the following 3%.

On the first elements, those with greater inclination, the liquid has a greater speed and vorticity as it has a greater pollutant load to be removed by biological oxidation. equipped with an inclination adjustment system, the accumulation of dead biomass and the development of plant biomass, for example plants and algae, takes place.

As already mentioned above, the present invention provides a further purification of the liquids discharged from existing purifiers, significantly or completely reducing the impact caused by them on the watercourses. The system also allows to thicken and stabilize the spent biomass so that it can be exploited in the agricultural field according to the provisions of the law.

Ultimately, the present invention is particularly advantageous in the treatment of polluted liquids, both in the phase of entry to the purification plants, and at the end of the same, obtaining easily removable and separable solid sludge, thus increasing the yield of the purification process as a whole. without increasing management costs.

Another characteristic of the present invention consists in the fact that the obligatory path of the liquids to be treated, obtained with at least two or more prefabricated elements (two in number because the first will have an inclination greater than the second), can be more or less long in relation to the results to be obtained and the availability of the land on which to place said elements. They could be arranged, horizontal, inclined and vertical (for example in the Imhoff tanks), in series e10 also in parallel and mixed, or coupled, both upstream and downstream of the existing or newly built depiration irrigation systems.

A further advantageous feature of the invention consists in the fact that the elements in prefabricated cement are made in a flat, rectangular shape of various lengths, having three sides with raised edges or in the shape of a channel with two opposite edges in relief to facilitate the flow of liquids, while the central part has the bosses or protrusions described above,

Another advantageous variant consists in using the prefabricated elements in reinforced concrete with a simply flat central part on which a linoleum or equivalent strip or plastic layer equipped with protuberances and performing a similar function already described above is glued.

Another possible variant derived from the present invention consists in the fact of using small pebbles or crushed stone to be placed on the liquid flow surface of said prefabricated elements in reinforced concrete with a flat surface e10 with various bosses and protrusions, this to increase the oxygenation of the liquids being treated and therefore the formation of solid sludge. Said pebbles or crushed stone simply sprinkled on the surface of the liquid flow, removable with the sludge in the cleaning phase of the system, or also provided incorporated and protruding in a fixed way in the mass of the channel itself.

Ultimately, the present invention fully responds to the intended objectives, namely to provide a particular prefabricated structure that can be easily transported and positioned on site, whose conformation of the sliding surface of the liquids to be treated favors the formation of easily separable solid-type sludge. No less important is its use even in environments without electricity, since their operation is based only on the flow of liquids by gravity, operating on the adjustable inclination of the individual elements forming the obligatory path.

Drawings illustrations

These and other characteristics of the present invention will appear evident from the following description by way of a preferential example of embodiment, however not limiting, in the six attached drawing tables, where:

- Fig. 1 shows, in plan view, a possible arrangement of two prefabricated elements in series, on which to send the waste liquid coming from a liquid purification plant; - Fig. 2 shows, in partial side section view, the arrangement of the two prefabricated elements of the previous figure;

- Fig.3 shows, in perspective view, a prefabricated element of the rectangular type with three sides with raised edges and the central surface covered with a plurality of protrusions in the shape of small truncated cones, arranged staggered by transverse row;

having two opposite raised edges to contain the flow of liquid flowing on a central surface consisting of small protruding truncated cones;

- Fig. 5 shows, in perspective view, a prefabricated channel element with the central surface for the path of the liquid to be treated consisting of a plurality of protuberances protruding upwards in the form of a truncated pyramid with a square base;

- Fig.6 shows, in perspective view, a prefabricated concrete element similar to the previous figure, but with central protruding elements in the shape of truncated pyramids with a hexagonal base; - Fig.7 shows, in perspective view, a prefabricated concrete element similar to the previous figure, but with central protruding elements in the shape of a pyramid with a triangular base;

- Fig. 8 shows, in cross-sectional view, an Imhoff-type tank with a plurality of prefabricated ashlar elements coupled two by two, in a vertical position with a forced path of the liquid being treated;

- Fig. 9 shows, in perspective view, a prefabricated channel element with a simply flat sliding surface suitable for receiving a random distribution of pebbles or crushed stone of various sizes;

- Fig. 10 shows, in perspective view, a prefabricated channel element with a flat central surface covered with a glued layer of linoleum, plastic or other equivalent bearing protuberances.

As can be seen from the attached figures, the prefabricated elements in reinforced concrete 3 are arranged downstream of a traditional purification plant for polluted water 1 coming from civil, industrial and agricultural discharges 10, from which it receives the waste liquid 5 through the tube 2 and 10 initiates a further biological oxidation and phyto-finishing treatment by simply making it transit by gravity inside the elements constituted in this case, for example, by truncated cone protuberances 7 protruding upwards and arranged in rows transversal ~ distorted, from each other: this is to force the flow of the liquid to be treated to follow a more tortuous path in order to undergo a mixing and oxygenation process.

In a first version of use, the prefabricated elements with three closed sides with raised edges and a free one of type 3 are aligned. the first element 3 and terminating with the free side above a second similar element or channel-shaped element 6, at a lower level. The first receives the waste liquid

5, through a pipe 2, from the purification plant 1 and discharges it into a small tray 12 which distributes it evenly over the entire width of the element positioned with an appropriate slope to regulate its speed in order to optimize oxygenation and the contact time of the liquid with the biomass attached to the protuberances. Therefore, optimal conditions are created for the biological oxidation of the pollutants still present in the waste water, and for the assimilation of minerals by the plant biomass. In the example shown, the purification process includes only two prefabricated elements of type 3, but obviously their number can be any and they can have any geometric shape in the protuberances protruding upwards, which can also be obtained by positioning pebbles, stones, crushed stone 14, fixed or removable, having the same functions as the protuberances.

The second element has a lower inclination than the first in order to favor the accumulation and stabilization of the dead bacterial biomass and at the same time favor the development of vegetal biomass, composed of plants and 10 algae. The liquid thus treated is discharged 4 into water courses or onto the ground according to the provisions of the law. While, the solid part lying in particular on the last prefabricated element will be easily removable from the element itself to be enhanced in the agricultural field in compliance with current legislation.

The elements in prefabricated reinforced concrete can therefore have two rectangular forms of construction, of various lengths, a first with three sides in dievo 3 to guide the path of the v, a second in the shape of a channel 6, i.e. with two opposite sides relief. They may have a rusticated central surface or with protuberances protruding upwards in the shape of a truncated cone 7.

and / or, with a truncated pyramid with a square base 8, e10 with a truncated pyramid with a hexagonal base 9, e10 with a pyramid with a triangular base 10.

Said treatment surfaces can also be obtained by placing pebbles 14, stones and crushed stone 10, inside the elements 7, 8, 9, 10, and they can be used in a mixed way in the construction of said integrated biological purification system.

The object of the invention is similarly achieved also with the use of prefabricated elements 3 and 106 with a flat central surface 13 on which a tape or a layer of linoleum 15, or plastic or equivalent product is glued, having the characteristic of reproducing the protuberances externally or bosses useful for forming turbulence in the flow of the liquid to be treated.

In a further variant a solution is represented of the use of said prefabricated elements 6 in a vertical direction, in particular in the Imhoff tanks 11, where the flow of the liquid being treated 5 is forced to pass through a succession of pairs of said elements in order to deposit on the bottom the sludge 16 thus collected and subsequently sucked up and separated definitively.

The invention, of course, is not limited to the examples of embodiment described above, starting from which other forms and other embodiments can be provided, such as for example being superimposed and therefore having a vertical rather than horizontal development and the execution details may in any case vary. without departing from the essence of the invention as stated and claimed below.

Claims (1)

R I V E N D I C A Z I O N I 1st Integrated biological purification system for liquids based on the combination of bacterial and vegetable biomass including the thickening and stabilization stage of the sludge resulting from the purification process, having as its main characteristic that of not requiring electrical energy or other nature to function as the liquid to be purified is made to flow by gravity within obligatory paths whose central surface is characterized by the fact that the biological oxidation process takes place on a rusticated surface according to various patterns and dimensions obtained inside of prefabricated elements in reinforced concrete 3 e106 and not, where the liquid to be treated 5, flows through a plurality of protuberances protruding upwards or bosses, 7,8,9,10, e10 derived from particular linoleum, plastic materials or products equivalent 15, or simple pebbles 14 variously distributed, fixed or removable, which I know not suitable for guaranteeing the oxygenation of the liquid to be purified and the cultivation, in sequence, of filamentous bacterial biomass and vegetal biomass composed of plants and algae. 2nd Integrated biological purification system for liquids according to the first claim, characterized in that it consists of a base surface for the flow of the liquid to be treated on which a plurality of truncated cones 7, and 10 protruding upwards. truncated pyramid with a square base 8, e10 of a truncated pyramid with a hexagonal base 9, e10 of a pyramid with a triangular base 10. Said protuberances will have any density, arrangement and size, in relation to the objectives to be achieved. 3rd Integrated biological purification system for liquids, according to the first and second claims, characterized by the fact that it consists of prefabricated elements in reinforced concrete 3 and 106, which can be assembled in a horizontal sequence, with adjustable inclination, in series and 10 in parallel , e10 vertically one behind the other e10 coupled together Fig.8. 4th Integrated biological purification system for liquids, according to the first claim, characterized by the fact that by means of the prefabricated elements it is particularly advantageous in the construction of new liquid purification plants, also of the Imhoff type, and 10 in the upgrading of existing purifiers, downstream and 10 upstream, and / or inside them. Integrated biological purification system for liquids, according to the first claim, characterized in that its operation is obtained by simply flowing the liquid to be treated on the elements 3 and 106 by gravity, and this can take place in the absence of electricity or other type of In fact, the presence of a difference in level between the drain to be purified and the watercourse or the ground that receives it is sufficient. 6 ^ Integrated biological purification system for liquids, according to the first claim, characterized by the fact that it allows to remove from liquids biodegradable and re-mineral organic substances to the point of allowing the discharge of purified liquids without negative effects on the water courses that they receive. 7. Integrated biological purification system for liquids, according to the first claim, characterized by the fact that it is composed of prefabricated elements 3 and 106 whose inclination can be adjusted in such a way as to obtain a good oxygenation of the liquid to be purified and an octirrial contact temperature. of the same with the bacterial biomass attached to the ashlar. 8. Integrated biological purification system for liquids, according to the first claim, characterized in that it allows to obtain a thickened and stabilized sludge 16. 9. Integrated biological purification system for liquids, according to the first claim, characterized by the fact that the prefabricated elements 3 and / or 6 can be equipped at the head and tail with transversal trays 12 suitable for guaranteeing a uniform distribution of the liquid to be purified.